Improved



UNITED. STATES ,PATENT @trucho WILLIAM srALDING, OF PORT CLINTON, OHIO.

IMPROVD APPLICATION OF STEAM TO A PROPEpLLERf Specification forming part of' Letters Patent No. 79,695, dated July T, ISGS; antcdaied June 1S, 1868.

together with such parts as I claim and desire' to have secured to me by Letters Patent.

This invention relates to anew and improved application of steam as a motor, whereby an engine and all complicated mechanism are dis-V pensed with and the steam used in the most direct manner possible.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings, Figure 1 is a side sectional view of the stern of a vessel having my improvements applied to it, :v x, Fig. 2, showing the line of section; Fig. 2, a rear sectional view of the same, taken in the line jl/ y, Fig. l; Fig. 3, a detached side view of a valve pertaining to the same; Fig. 4, an enlarged detached front or end view of the valve.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

A represents the stern portion of a vessel, and B is a tight box, which is placed in the lower parts of the stern, and has two pipes, C D, communicating with it, one, C, being a steampipe, which communicates with a steam-boiler placed in any convenient part of the vessel, and the other, D, being a water-supply pipe, which extends through the side of the vessel below the water-line and admits water into the box B.

E is a hollow or tubular shaft, which leads from the box B and passes through the stern of the vessel, having its bearing in the sternpost a thereof', as shown clearly in Fig. l.

The propeller F may be of the usual screw form, provided with three blades, b, each blade having two passages, c c', made in it, the inner ends of which communicate with the interior of the shaft E, and the outer ends have their orifices at opposite ends of the blades b, as will be understood by referring to Fig. 2.

The Asteam-pipe C enters the box .B about in line with the tubular shaft E, and extends within the box within a short distance of shaft E,

the latter being fitted in the side of the box opposite to that through which the steanrpipe O enters it.

G is a valve fitted within the tubular' shaft E, and having a rod, H,.attaehed, which extends within the box B, and is connected toa hand-lever, I, which extends beyond the side of the box B. This valve G is composed of a cylinder having spiral grooves el made init. (Shown more particularly in Fig. 3.) This valve is designed to reverse thedirection of the rotation of the propeller, as by adjusting it either of the passages c or c in the blades b may be made to communicate with the interior of the` shaft E, the latter having holes e made in it in line with the inner orifices of said passages c c. (See Figs. l and 2.)

At the inner end of the water-pipe D, within the box B, there is a valve, J, opening inward. The operation will be readily seen. Tater enters the box B through the pipe D, it being recollected that the upper end of the same is below the water-level, and the steam rushing into box B through pipe C will force the water through the tubular shaft E and through the passages c or c in the blades Z1 of the propeller,

rotating the latter in either direction, aceordi ing to which passages it is forced through, and,

as previously alluded to, it may be forced through either, according as the valve G is adj usted. into the box B, a vacuum is formed in said box immediately in front of the pipe Gby the condensation of a portion ofthe steam, while the impetus given to such water by the pressure of the steam as it first leaves the pipe G is in a line with the tubular shaft, and forces the water, upon the principle of the Giffard injector, into and through the propeller. This force entirely overcomes the pressure of the water from the outside of the propeller, and prevents" its rushing in through the tubular shaft to fill thev vacuum in the box B. This vacuum must therefore be filled by the water rushing through the pipe D and lifting the valve J by its pressure. It is more easily effected by reason of the pipe D being of much larger diameter than the i tubular sh aft.

It willof course be seen that it is necessary to have the outer end of the tubular shaft E closed, to prevent the escape of water therefrom.

As the steanr is forced from the boiler Having thus described my invention, I claim 2. The Valve G, when constructed as deas new and desire to seeurebyLetters Patentserbed7 with spiral grooves d d, as herein 1. The arrangement of the water-reservoir shown and described, for the purpose specified. B, perforated rotating shaft E, Watersupply pipe D, stezrnrpipe c, valve-rod H, reversinglever I, valve G, having spiral grooves d, and propeller F, as herein set forth, for the purpose specified.

WM. srALDiNG.

NVirnesses:

W M. F. MGNAMARA, ALEX. F. RoBERTs. 

